In 2012, Adidas secured the title sponsorship of the Olympics for $150 million and thought they would overshadow Nike.
However, Nike used a brilliant strategy to outperform Adidas and dominate the Olympics.
Here’s the full story:
Deadpool & Wolverine have hit the biggest R-rated Box Office opening ever.
The secret? Ryan Reynolds' marketing campaigns.
Here are the simple strategies Deadpool & Wolverine followed to hit a box office of $550 million:
This is Tommy Hilfiger.
He took the world by storm overnight, but not because of his clothing.
Here’s how a genius marketing stunt put Hilfiger on the map before his designs did:
(this story blew my mind)
1. Alternative Londons
Nike was prohibited from referencing London, UK in their campaigns.
So it cleverly shot their commercials in various other "Londons" around the world.
These included London, Ohio; Little London, Jamaica, and London Gym.
3. Inspiring the Average Individual
While Adidas flaunted Olympians in their ads, Nike took a different route by featuring average teenagers.
Their "Find Your Greatness" campaign showcased everyday individuals pushing their limits.
It was a box-office superhit - $800M on a $58M budget.
Here’s a breakdown of how Ryan Reynolds and the marketing team revolutionized the promotion of the Deadpool film, turning it from a B-list character into a household name.
Fox was still against it - it wasn't until test footage leaked in July 2014, with millions of positive responses, when Fox finally gave Deadpool the green light.
Lately, rumor has it that Reynold may have been involved leaking that viral marketing video...
2. Athlete Sponsorship
Despite Adidas being the official sponsor, athletes were free to choose their footwear.
Nike seized this opportunity by sponsoring 400 Olympians, providing them with a distinctive line of yellow-green shoes named "Volt."
When Deadpool first appeared in the early 1990s comics, he was not as well-known or popular as other Marvel characters like Spider-Man or the X-Men.
The first Deadpool film - released in 2016 - changed everything.
Reynolds first played the role of Deadpool in X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009).
The character was not well-received due to a poorly executed representation.
With these strategies, Nike outperformed Adidas in several key metrics:
• It generated 16,000 tweets associating the brand with the Olympics, compared to Adidas's 9,000.
• It gained 57,000 new social media followers, while Adidas added only 12,000.
So they decided to run 'outrageous' campaigns everywhere.
Even though the studio was still dead against it.
Some of their outrageous campaigns included:
Launching the "12 Days of Deadpool" campaign just before Christmas in 2015.
But, Reynolds was a fan of the character and believed in his potential for a standalone film.
After the negative reception of his first portrayal, Reynolds wanted a more authentic representation of Deadpool.
He pushed for a film that captured the character's humor, irreverence, unique personality, and frequent talking to the audience - traits central to the comics.
The script for Deadpool underwent a lengthy process, with writers Reese and Wernick crafting drafts over six years.
Have you heard of the “fourth wall”?
The term "fourth wall" refers to the imaginary wall that separates the characters in a performance from the audience.
Breaking the fourth wall happens when a character looks directly at the camera and speaks to the audience.
37% of respondents believed Nike was the official sponsor - only 21% for Adidas.
Nike's brilliance lies in being able to get itself in front of the audience, no matter the challenges involved.
• Outrageous ideas get attention.
• Outrageous ideas sell when they're backed up by the product.
• Even well-intentioned studios will try to kill good ideas out of fear.
These included interrupting Hugh Jackman's birthday message to his wife, which generated media coverage and social media buzz.
One of the most memorable marketing stunts involved creating a fake Tinder profile for Deadpool.
Over twelve days, they released new posters, images, and videos that showcased the film's humor and action, encouraging fans to share the content across social media.
Deadpool also made surprise appearances at various events.
20th Century Fox nearly had a heart attack when they heard Reynolds' pitch.
They wanted nothing to do with it.
Compare Deadpool to the greatest superhero franchises of all time?
"We can't do that, it'll sound like we're mocking them."
"Those are the kings of the box office."
Reynolds sat them down and said, "Listen..."
"If you want a name in superhero movies you'll need millions in traditional marketing."
"But if you want to be recognized tomorrow. We need something outrageous."
"You should look at something and think it's a little crazy."
People lost their minds.
All of Hollywood nearly had a heart attack too.
"Who does Deadpool think he is?
The week after, Deadpool was trending on every social media platform.
Quickly becoming the R-rated superhero phenomenon we know today.
Reynolds wanted Deadpool to become a household name.
So he came back with a wild idea:
Compare Deadpool (an unknown anti-hero) to the veterans of the veterans: → The Avengers → X-Men → Justice League.
Deadpool addresses the audience directly in many of the promotional material.
He jokes about the film industry and pokes fun at other superheroes.
This approach resonated with audiences and generated significant buzz before the film's release.
George Lois turbocharged Tommy Hilfger’s rise to stardom.
My main takeaways from this story?
• Outrageous ideas get attention.
• Outrageous ideas sell when they’re backed up by the product.
• Even well-intentioned clients will try to kill good ideas out of fear.
With Adidas as the official sponsor, Nike faced strict restrictions.
They couldn't use terms like "London Olympics," "2012," or even the iconic Olympic rings in their marketing campaigns.
This favored Adidas significantly and created a challenge for Nike to make an impact.
Ryan Reynolds understood this film was every fan's dream come true, and he knew the next thing was getting the word out there.
The goal was simple: disruptive publicity.
He worked with the marketing team to launch numerous targeted campaigns.
After Logan (2017), no one expected Wolverine to be back, so fans were excited to see his return.
Combining Deadpool and Wolverine was bound to be a hit.
Marvel knew this was their chance to turn things around, so they brought in Maximum Effort, Ryan Reynolds' marketing agency.
Lois sat him down and said "listen..."
“If you want a name in fashion you’ll need millions of dollars in ads.
And it’ll take years.
But if you want to be recognized tomorrow.
We need something outrageous.”
Burger King was losing to McDonald's over drive-through outlets.
So they used geofencing to lure millions of McDonalds' customers.
The results?
→ Burger King's App from
#686
-> # 1 on the App Store
→ ROI of 37:1
→ 1,500,000 app downloads over 9 days.
Here's the full story.
This is Mike Cessario.
He is
→ founder of Liquid Death
→ mastermind behind Gary Vee's socials
→ the greatest branding genius on planet Earth
Liquid Death got to $1,400,000,000 in 4 years by following these 8 simple principles:
(this is 200x more valuable than any Master's)
Deadpool is the most anticipated R-rated superhero character and a welcome change of pace from all the family friendly fare.
Wolverine is a fan favorite pre MCU character, and has the "No Way Home" effect (Return of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield in Spider-Man: No Way Home).
Tommy was still embarrassed and apologetic in the midst of all this attention.
But he had to live up to the image Lois had created for him.
So he worked harder than ever to live up to the expectations.
Quickly becoming the world-renowned designer he is today.
2. Stars in Action
Deadpool and Wolverine might steal the spotlight, but their actors are just as iconic.
Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman fueled a fake rivalry between them on social media - it has lasted 20 years.
“You should look at something and think it’s a little crazy.”
That was Lois’ philosophy.
So they decided to run this ‘outrageous’ ad in Times Square New York.
Even though Tommy was still dead against it.
Tommy nearly had a heart attack when he heard Lois’ pitch.
He wanted absolutely nothing to do with it.
Compare Tommy to the greatest American designers of all time?
“I can’t do that, it’ll sound like I’m bragging. Those are the gods.”
People lost their minds.
All of 7th avenue nearly had a heart attack too.
“Who does Tommy Hilfiger think he is? Comparing himself to Ralph, Perry, and Calvin?”
The week after, Tommy made his first guest appearance on the Johnny Carson show.
5. Celebrities
The film had cameos with big names like Rob McElhenney, Chris Evans, Ollie Palmer, Tyler Mane and Jennifer Garner, which added a special touch for fans.
Their promotional video with Gordon Ramsay and Tilly Ramsay had over 5 million views on all platforms.
They used outrageous and humorous ads to grab attention while also tailoring each campaign to different groups and cultures.
Deadpool & Wolverine broke industry records and reached the biggest R-rated Box Office opening in just a few days by following these 8 simple strategies:
1. Tailored Global Marketing
→ Giant photo op truck in Tokyo
→ Appearances and merchandise in India
→ Fan meetups in Shanghai and Seoul.
The entertainment and humor in these campaigns saw global engagement skyrocket.
It's 1985 and Tommy Hilfiger is a nobody.
He wanted to become a well-known brand in the fashion space, so he came to Lois for help.
And he wanted results as quick as possible.
So Lois came back with a wild idea:
8. Effective Collaborations
Heinz launched a campaign using the Red and Yellow color of Deadpool & Wolverine.
They released images of Ketchup and mustard bottles dressed as Deadpool and Wolverine.
The totally unrelated brands made it work.
Collaboration with Heineken Silver:
The collaboration launched an ad that started out as a movie teaser for Deadpool & Wolverine before changing into a beer commercial.
The campaign also included in-store promotions, TV spot, and a strong social media support.
Look at this failed product demo.
It shattered bulletproof glass live. Embarrassed the world's richest man. And got 100M views.
Tesla stock plummeted, wiping out $768M in market value.
Yet Cybertruck pre-orders hit 250,000 in 5 days.
This is Musk's masterclass in marketing:
I run - we know how to help companies go viral in 2024 across social media platforms.
We've generated over 1,000,000,000 impressions for our clients over the last 2.5 years.
DM me to work together.
This man made $15 Million just by selling rocks.
No, it was not a scam. People knew exactly what they were buying, and they bought it anyway.
Meet Gary Dahl, the mastermind behind the biggest fad in the history of fads.
Here's how he convinced an entire country to buy rocks:
4. Teaser Videos and Trailers:
The campaign strategically released teasers that broke records with millions of views within few hours.
They also released shots of Deadpool variants like Cowboy Deadpool, Lady Deadpool, and Dog Deadpool, further building anticipation.
This child psychiatrist manipulated an entire country in the 1970s.
After WWII, Nescafe entered Japan hoping to create a huge coffee market.
They failed.
Here's how child psychiatrist Clotaire Rapaille changed tea-loving Japan to become the world's 6th largest coffee importer.
7. Merchandise
Deadpool & Wolverine campaign sold exclusive items like clothing, accessories, collectibles and toys worldwide.
By releasing unique promotional items, the campaign drove significant engagement and sales, breaking records for merchandise sales of over $300 million.
6. CSR:
The campaign improved the brand and film's public image by carrying out multiple CSR activities.
They launched charity auctions and donated proceeds to charity organizations and cancer research centers.
Collaboration with Aviation Gin
Who would have thought that six limited-edition gin bottles can increase film awareness?
Aviation Gin launched limited-edition gin bottles featuring fun and catchy Deadpool icons.
Deadpool & Wolverine's success gave Marvel a refreshing new twist and renewed fans' faith in the brand.
My key takeaway?
Listen to the public and deliver.
Aviation Gin made the product available in multiple countries.
This collaboration extended the film's reach to new markets.
The Results:
• Biggest R-rated Box Office opening
• $550 million grossed globally
• Highest merchandise sales revenue
• Largest global debut of 2024
Meet Sophia Amoruso.
She started selling vintage clothes on eBay at 22 while working as a security guard.
By age 30, she grew Nasty Gal to $100 million in revenue and was named one of the richest self-made women by Forbes.
How she used this magic marketing hack to go viral ↓
• Coca-Cola is just soda
• Tylenol is just acetaminophen
• Levi's is just jeans
Yet, you choose these specific brands over others, even at a higher price.
Here's the science behind why you are willing to pay more for essentially the same product:
I run - we know how to help companies go viral in 2024 across social media platforms.
We've generated over 1,000,000,000 impressions for our clients over the last 2.5 years.
DM me to work together.
This is Nikita Bier.
He built his app to 5M users in 2 months and sold it to Facebook for $30M.
The best part: He spent $0 on marketing and did it TWICE!
Here's the story...
Confession:
My swipe file of killer copy is huge.
It's even bigger than the pay raise the creatives behind these ads deserve.
(that speaks volumes)
10 examples of the best ads:
1/ Electrical Depot
In 2017, Burger King had a problem.
Most burger sales were made from drive-through outlets.
Burger King had only 7000 of those outlets across the US.
McDonald’s had 14,000.
The media landscape is being disrupted by AI, yet again.
A new AI model running on Stable Diffusion has been released: ControlNet.
It takes the additional input of a reference image along with a text prompt to create mind-blowing results.
5 crazy examples to see for yourself:
1/ Differentiate on what can’t be copied
Packaging, flavour, and pricing can all be replicated.
Mike realized he couldn’t "own" these differentiators.
But how people connect with your product and relate to your company is impossible to copy.
So that’s where Mike went all-in.
Earning the title of the most-downloaded fast food service app.
6.6 million loyal app users in the long run.
An ROI of 37:1 (for every $1 Burger King spent on the Whopper Detour campaign, they earned $37 in return).
The Whooper detour campaign set Burger King up for future success.
My main takeaways?
Fun sells; the campaign required a lot from the customer. However, it worked because customers found it fun.
The customer had to order through the Burger King app.
The app would then redirect the customer to the nearest Burger King store to pick up their order.
The results?
More than 1 million downloads within the first few days.
A total of 1.5M downloads after the 9-day campaign ended;
Catapulting the app from a ranking of 686 on Apple Store and 464 on Google Play Store to No. 1.
5/ Be the funniest thing in someone’s feed every day
Mike found the sweet spot between entertainment and plugging his brand.
Liquid Death’s first ad cost $2,000.
But in just 3 months:
→ the ad had gained +3m views across social media
→ Liquid Death had sold +$100,000
Burger King and FCB were so confident in the campaign's potential that they didn’t make any significant media investment.
To promote the campaign, they created a bunch of funny print ads and live footage of people asking for their Whoppers at a McDonald's drive-through.
This is Oatly.
A Swedish oatmilk company that struggled for 20 years but turned a niche product into a $10 billion IPO.
Here's how a quirky Swedish company used creative marketing to change the way we think about milk:
“Samsung vs Apple war got real"
On June 22nd, 2024, Apple launched its first store in Malaysia hoping to steal the spotlight from Samsung.
But Samsung disrupted the launch and reclaimed its dominance in Malaysia.
(I didn't know brands can be this petty)
The plan was to use Geofencing to target customers inside or 600 feet near a McDonald’s store.
Geofencing uses GPS to create a virtual fence, triggering responses when a phone enters or leaves an area.
They sent notifications offering whopper burgers at 1 cent - with a catch.
4/ Entertain first, sell second.
Mike acknowledged two things:
(1) Don’t force feed the broccoli.
(2) Everyone loves to laugh.
This led the direction of the entire company.
7/ Do the dumbest thing you can think of
Going viral once? Difficult.
Going viral consistently? Backbreaking. (for most).
So how does Liquid Death do it?
A trick that helps Mike:
→ Ask "what is the dumbest thing I can do?"
This sets your mind in gear for entertaining content
In 2019, Burger King faced a major problem in Mexico:
"Difficulty in reaching customers during peak traffic hours."
To counter it, they launched the “Traffic Jam Whopper” campaign.
Orders increased by 63%.
Here's how a traffic nightmare became a marketing masterstroke:
FCB New York, one of the largest global advertising agencies sees this problem and makes Burger King a bold pitch;
How do you turn this drawback into an opportunity and reward customers willing to go the extra mile for a better burger?
Turn your competitor’s stores into yours.
Starbucks is the largest coffee chain in the world.
But in 2008, the company was on the verge of bankruptcy.
Here's how Howard Schultz saved Starbucks and transformed it into the world leading coffee chain:
TL;DR
1/ Differentiate on what can't be copied
2/ The brand is the moat
3/ Everyone hates ads
4/ Entertain first, sell second
5/ Be the funniest thing in someone’s feed
6/ Do the dumbest thing you can think of
7/ Create content people want to share
8/ The irrefutable results
Think outside the box;
Most creative ideas are generated by challenging everyday conventions. Burger King challenged common logic by sending customers to their rival’s stores.
Finally, outrageous ideas get attention, and when good enough, they get Sales.
Rather, they should play the long game:
Make the children fall in love with the taste of coffee.
His recommendation?
Introducing coffee-flavored candies to Japanese children.
This is Aviation American Gin.
One of the fastest-rising gin brands in the US and a famed disruptor of the industry.
In just one year, their US sales increased by 100% to $40 million.
Here’s how Ryan Reynolds made it work.
2/ The brand is the moat
“Strong brands mean more to people than products themselves” — Mike Cessario.
The fashion industry is a prime example of this.
But this concept applies even more to water companies.
Why is Fiji water 540% more expensive than other spring water?
Brand.
3/ Everyone hates ads
Mike’s only hope to compete in the beverage industry was to build a strong brand.
One that people wanted to associate with, buuut...
...how do you build a strong brand?
Marketing — whatever the form, you gotta promote yourself.
The big problem?
In the 1930s, Coca-Cola faced a common problem for beverage companies:
“How to maintain sales during the winter months.”
Their solution was to seek the help of Santa Claus.
Here’s the story:
In 1997, Apple was nearing bankruptcy with only 90 days of money left.
Their market share dropped from 14% to below 3%.
Apple brought back Steve Jobs as CEO and launched the “Think Different” campaign.
Here’s the story of one of the greatest marketing campaigns ever: